South Korea’s parliament on Tuesday, the 9th of January, approved a law aimed at ending the farming, slaughter, and sale of dog meat by 2027, ending a centuries-old and controversial practice amid growing support for animal rights, reports the BBC.
Historically, dog meat has been seen as a means of improving stamina in the hot Korean summers, but over the years dog meat consumption has declined, especially among younger generations who increasingly see dogs as family pets.
According to the media outlet, by law,
those who slaughter dogs can be sentenced to up to three years in prison or a fine of 30 million won (20 797 euros),
those who breed dogs for meat or sell dog meat can be sentenced to up to two years in prison. However, the consumption of dog meat itself will not be banned.
The law will come into force in three years’ time, enabling those involved in the dog meat business to switch to alternative livelihoods. The government has promised support to farmers and businesses affected, although details of compensation are not yet available.
According to government statistics,
in 2023 there were around 1 600 dog meat restaurants and 1 150 dog farms in South Korea.
According to a survey by the Seoul-based Animal Welfare Awareness, Research, and Education, more than 94% of respondents said they had not eaten dog meat in the past year and about 93% said they would not eat it in the future, said Reuters.
Animal rights groups, which have long campaigned for a ban on the eating and sale of dog meat, welcomed the passage of the bill.
Chae Jung-ah, executive director of the Humane Society in South Korea, expressed surprise that the law had been passed in her lifetime and was happy to see that South Korea can finally bring to an end a cruel part of its history and move towards a more dog-friendly future.
Dog meat farmers campaigning against the ban argued that the popularity of dog meat among young people is declining and the practice should therefore be allowed to die out naturally over time, given that many farmers and restaurant owners are elderly, arguing that it would be difficult for them to change occupation at such a late stage in life.
Some dog meat farmers believe the ban violates a person’s freedom to “eat what they like”, while one dog meat restaurant owner blamed that the law was passed on the fact that too many South Koreans have pets they consider family, stressing that “food is food”, according to the BBC.
Also read: Lithuania bans fur farming
Follow us on Facebook and X!